Automatic winding machine



M 1 N n t MW mm M 2 M %Q\ W 0 w a wmwn v 3 w 1 Ma A QQ 93 N3 .ww 3

R. COUZENS ETAL AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Nov. 1, 1966 Filed Jan. 5,1964 AUTOMATI C WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 3, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 2F/Ci3 INVENTORS RG/IVALD COUZE/VS BY MICHAEL M. YOU/V6 ATTORIVFVAUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Filed Jan. 5, 1964 4 Sheets-Sheet 5 I NVENTORSREGINALD COUZE/VS M/(HAEL M. YOUNG ATTORNEY United States Patent M3,282,524 AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE Reginald Couzens, Wallingford, andMichael M. Young, Merion, Pa. (both Dietz Machine Works, Inc., 3105 W.Allegheny Ave., Philadelphia, Pa.)

Filed Jan. 3, 1964, Ser. No. 335,585 12 Claims. (Cl. 242-56) Thisinvention primarily relates to a machine for winding flexible materialsuch as paper into logs.

Heretofore, there have been many problems associated with the winding ofpaper into logs. The major problem has resided in the fact that therehad never been a practical winding machine capable of performing thefully automated operation of winding the paper into a log whilecontrolling its size and density, severing the wound log from the websupply and securing the severed portion to the wound log in such amanner as to form a tail or tab for ease of starting in unwinding thelog.

It had heretofore been necessary for the operator of a winding machineto stop the machine after a log had been wound, remove the log andcondition it for further operations. For example, in winding 21 log oftoilet tissue, the machine was stopped after a predetermined count ofwound sheets was recorded. The operator would then manually sever theweb from the wound log and secure the severed portion of the web to thewound log to complete the operation. The log comprising a log of paperof the order of 90 inches wide and 4% inches in diameter, was thenconveyed to a conventional saw to slice the log into the requisitenumber of components or individual rolls desired.

In the aforementioned procedure, manual means were provided for enablingthe operator of the machine to vary the density of the log as it waswound. This is desirable because in certain types of wound paperproducts, it is desirable to obtain a soft log rather than a bone hardlog the vice versa. In the case of a toilet tissue roll or paper towelroll, the roll must be flexible.

Another undesirable feature of the prior art procedure, was when theoperator of the machine removed the wound log, severed it, and securedthe severed portion to the wound log to complete the log, the portionwhich was secured was rigidly secured. In order to unwind the log whenit was put to use, it would be necessary to slit the log along itslength in order to start the unwinding process. As everyone knows, thisis a common procedure when desiring to start to unwind a roll of toilettissue. The user usually runs his finger nail through the perforationson the roll formed between individual sheets to free one end of the rolland form a tail.

Therefore, prior art machines were inefficient inasmuch as in order toperfect a finished product, it would be necessary to perform someoperations on the product manually whereby a greater cost andexpenditure for materials, time and labor was realized. Also, thefinished product which had been wound was difiicult to use for itsintended purpose.

Accordingly, it is the primary object of this invention to disclose awinding machine which may be used in the formation of a roll of toilettissue or paper towels or the like, which machine is capable ofperforming a fully automated operation in winding the paper into a logwhile controlling its density and size, severing the wound log from theweb supply, and securing the severed portion to the wound log in such amanner as to form a tab for ease of starting in unwinding the log.

Another object of this invention resides in an automatic winding machineincluding means which simultaneously picks up and delivers a wound logto a finishing station and places an empty core on the severed web forcommencing a second winding operation While the wound 3,282,524 PatentedNov. 1, 1966 log is being finished. In this manner, the machine isrendered capable of a high rate of production and elliciency.

Yet another object of this invention resides in the use of apparatus forautomatically and selectively varying the density and size of the woundlog.

A still further object of this invention resides in the particularmethod used in forming a finished log of paper.

Other objects will appear from the disclosure hereinafter.

For the purpose of illustrating the invention, there is shown in thedrawings a form which is presently preferred; it being understood,however, that this invention is not limited to the precise arrangementand instrumentalities shown.

FIGURE 1 is a side view in elevation of the winding machine comprisingthe subject matter of the instant invention with certain portionsremoved for the purposes of illustration.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary detail in side elevation of aportion of the machine illustrated in FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken substantially alongthe plane indicated by the line 3-3 of FIGURE 2.

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of the apparatus illustrated in FIGURE 3.

FIGURE 5 is an end view in elevation of the finished product formed byusing the machine of the present invention.

FIGURE 6 is an exploded perspective view of a portion of the machinewhich is used to secure the severed portion of the web to the wound login such a manner as to form a tab which is used to start the unwindingof the finished log.

FIGURE 7 is a cross-sectional view taken substantially along the planeindicated by the line 77 of FIGURE 1.

FIGURE 8 is a timing diagram of the various machine cycles which areperformed.

General organization The winding machine 10 is adapted to wind a web ofpaper such as 12 into a wound log 14 containing a predetermined numberof perforated sheets of the paper. The web 12 is supplied from a roll ofpaper 16 rotatably secured to the frame 18 of the machine.

Power means generally designated by the numeral 20 are carried by theframe 18 for feeding the paper to a winding station generally designatedby the numeral 22. The web 12 is wound about a core 24 at the windingstation.

Mounted above the winding station 22 on the frame 18 is a pickup anddelivery means 26. The pickup and delivery means is adapted to positionthe Wound log 14 at a finishing station generally designated by thenumeral 28. This is accomplished by kicking the wound log 14 from thewinding station 22 to a stripper support 30. As the wound log 14 is somoved by the pickup and delivery means 26, a portion of the roll isunwound and positioned across a web severing device generally designatedby the numeral 32. Also, as the wound log 14 is being moved to thefinishing station 28, the pickup and delivery means 26 simultaneouslydeposits an empty core, which it has picked up from a hopper 34, on theunwound portion of the log 14.

The web severing device includes means for moistening the web along itslength The stripper support is rocked to induce a tear along themoistened web portion. A blast of air, which has been actuated prior totearing of the web, will then be effective to wrap one part of thesevered unwound web about the new empty core deposited on the web.

As the web 12 begins to wind about the new core 14, finishing meansgenerally designated by the numeral 36 are rendered operative to tackalong spaced points, the other part of the severed portion of the web tothe wound log in such a manner as to cause a tab 38 to be formed on theend of the log 14.

The finished log 14 having the tab 38 may be pushed transversely of themachine onto a conveyor which will convey it to a. saw for slicing thelog 14 into a desired number of smaller rolls.

Web drive The means for moving the web 12 to the winding station 22comprises a power drive including a main motor 40 secured to the frame18 of the machine.

A rear feedroll 42 and a front feedroll 44 are rotat-ably supported uponthe frame 18 by means of shafts 46 and 48 respectively. Sandwichedbetween the front and rear feedrolls is a perforating bedroll 50. Thebedroll 50 is adapted to rotate relative to the frame by means of ashaft 52. Fixed to a shaft 54 is a perforating head 56 including anelongated perforating spike 58. The spike 58 is adapted to cooperatewith elongated rotary knives such as 60 fixed at spaced intervals aboutthe circumference of the perforating bedroll. Each knife 60 has aplurality of uniformly spaced notches along its length.

Secured to the shaft 52 is a sprocket 62 about which is an endlessflexible chain 64 connected to the drive shaft of the main motor 40.Also secured to the shaft 52 is a driving gear 65.

The gear 65 is in mesh with a gear 66 on the shaft 46, and a gear 68 onthe shaft 48.

The web 12 is positioned over an adjustable tension roller 72 andthreaded between the bedroll 50 and the feedroll 42, the perforatinghead 56, and the feed-roll 44.

Upon actuation of the main motor 40, the bedroll 50 will be caused torotate in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIGURE 1 through the mediumof the endless chain 64 and the sprocket 62. Rotation of the shaft 52will cause the gear 65 to rotate in a clockwise direction therebydriving the gears 66 and 68 in a counterclockwise direction. Thefeedrolls and the hedroll will drive the web 12 to the right as viewedin FIGURE 1. As it is driven, it is perforated by the perforating head56 to form. a plurality of individual sheets in the web 12. This isaccomplished by the scissors effect produced by the rotating knives 60passing by the stationary spike 58 as the bedroll rotates. Due to thenotches in the knives 60, the web 12 is not completely severed, but aseries of perforation in the web is obtained.

A second idler roller 74 is used to maintain the tension in the end ofthe web being fed into the winding station 22.

Operatively connected to the shaft 52 is a revolution counter 76. Therevolution counter 76 is adapted to count a predetermined number ofrevolutions of the shaft 52. Since the shaft 52 rotates in timedrelation to the number of times the web 12 has been perforated, therevolution counter 76 is essence counts the number of times the web 12has been perforated. This in turn enables the number of sheets formed inthe web 12 to be accounted for. When a predetermined number of sheetshave been counted by the revolution counter 76, the counter can actuatesuitable electric circuitry which is well known in the art to shut offthe motor 40 and prevent further winding from taking place.

Winding operation A core 24 is disposed upon the web 12 at the windingstation between a pair of winding drums 78 and 80. Means which will bedescribed hereinafter have severed the web 12 from the previously woundlog 14 and secured one part of the severed web to the empty core 24. Thecore 24 is rotated by the drums 78 and 80 in a counter- 4 clockwisedirection as shown in FIGURE 1 to wind the feed web 12 about itself.

The winding drums 78 and are rotated in a clockwise direction as viewedin FIGURE 1 by means of an endless flexible belt 82 driven in aclockwise manner from the main motor 40. The endless flexible belt 82 isentrained about a pair of pulleys 84 and 86 secured to the winding drumshafts 88 and 90 respectively and a pulley 85 rotatably mounted upon afixed shaft 87 secured to the frame 18. Integrally connected to thepulley 85 is a variable pitch sheave 89, which is also rotatably mountedon shaft 87. The sheave 89 and hence pulley 85 is connected by means ofan endless belt 91 to a pulley 93 on shaft 52. The pulley 93 connectsmain motor 40 to the belt 91, sheave 89, pulley 85 and belt 82. Thesheave 89 may be used to control the density and size of the wound log,if desired.

A pressure roller or top rider roll 92 is adapted to always be seatedupon the log 14 as it is wound to insure uniform winding of the web 12upon the core 24. The pressure roller 92 also is used to determine thedensity of the finished log and compensates for the increasing diameterof the log as it is wound by being able to move upwardly while stillmaintaining contact with the log as it is wound. Thereafter, threerolls, that is rolls 78, 80 and 92 always confine the core 24 as it iswound.

The pressure roller 92 is fixed to a shaft 94 whose ends are rotatablymounted within bearing blocks 96 and 98. The bearing blocks 96 and 98are secured to the back of a channel member 100 and 102 respectively.The channel members 100 and 102 are slidably mounted on T-shaped guides104 fixed to the frame of the machine.

A controlled torque device 106 is provided on the frame.

By way of example only this has been illustrated as a. torque motor.However, other torque devices such as an eddy-current clutch, anhydraulic or pneumatic torque converter, spring clutch or the like maybe employed as equivalents.

The motor 106 has a shaft 108 rotatably journalled within bearings 110fixed in a pair of housings 112 secured to the frame of the machine ateach transverse end. Fixed to the shaft 108 are a pair of pinions 114and 116 respectively. The pinion 114 is adapted to mate with rack teethformed on one flange of the channel 100. Similarly, the pinion 116 isadapted to mate with rack teeth formed on one flange of the channel 102.

It should thus be apparent that upon free rotation of the shaft 108, thepinions 114 and 116 cause the channels 100 and 102 to move up or downrelative to the fixed guides 104. The direction of movement of course,is dependent on the direction of rotation of the shaft 108.

With the pressure roller 92 in contact with the top of the log 14 whichis being wound, a suitable electrical element may be placed in theelectrical circuit of the motor 106 whereby the torque produced by themotor 106 to rotate the shaft 108 will be substantially equal to thetorque on the shaft 108 produced by the weight of the roller 92. Thistorque being equal and opposite to the torque produced by the motor 106on the shaft 108 will cause the motor 106 to stall. Therefore, when thepressure roller 92 is contacting the log 14, the roller 92 will move uponly by the increasing diameter of the log 14. The pressure roller 92can thus slip relative to the log 14 being wound wherein a soft or lowdensity log will be wound rather than a bone hard log. This lattercondition could be obtained if the motor 106 was allowed to bias thepressure roller 92 in a downward direction into clamping contact withthe log 14.

By the utilization of a variable electrical element in the circuitry ofthe motor 106, when it is desired to raise the pressure roller 92, thiselement may be varied so that the motor 106 is no longer stalledand thetorque induced in the shaft 108 is suflicient to overcome the torque onthe shaft 108 due to the weight or the roller 92. The roller will thenbe raised as the shaft 108 can rotate the gears 114 and 116 to raise thechannels 102 and 104.

By the use of a pair of pinions 114 and 116, the log is also wounduniformly. That is, both ends of the roll 92 are made to move in unison.There is no chance of one end moving at a different rate than the otherend, which would result in a log having a variable density.

As an alternative density control for the log, a knurled knob 109 may bethreaded onto one end of the shaft 87 in abutment with the variablepitch sheave 89. A nut 111 may be threaded on to shaft 87 in abutmentwith pulley 85. Upon tightening or loosening of the abutment of knob 109and sheave 89, the pitch of the sheave can be varied. The speed ofrotation of the sheave 89 is varied as its pitch is varied. Therefore,the speed at which belt 82 and drums 78 and 80 rotate can be controlledand thus the density of the wound log, since the density is a functionof the rate in which the web is wound.

Pickup and delivery operation The pickup and delivery means 26 performstwo functions. First, it picks up an empty core 24 from a supply hopper34 and positions it on the web 12 whereby the web can be wound on thecore to form the log 14. Second, as it simultaneously positions theempty core upon the web, it delivers a wound log to the finishingstation 28.

In order to effect these functions, the pickup and delivery means 26includes a pair of L-shaped arms such as 120 and 122 connected by asweep arm 121. The arms 120 and 122 are integrally connected to rotatingdrums 128 and 130 respectively. The drums 128 and 130 are rotatablyjournalled within bearings 132 and 134 secured to the frame 18 of themachine.

The drums 128 and 130 are rotated by a continuously operating motor 136through the medium of a one revolution clutch 131 and a plurality ofgears. Connected to the motor shaft 138 is a friction sleeve 135rotatable within the clutch housing. Connected to the clutch is anendless chain 140 entrained over a sprocket carried on a shaft 137 fixedto the clutch housing, and a sprocket 142 rotatably mounted upon a shaft144 connected to the frame of the machine. Integral but spaced from thesprocket 142 is a driving gear 146. This gear 146 is in mesh with a pairof driven gears 148 and 150. The gear 150 is integrally connected bywelding or the like to the drum 128 while the gear 148 is fixed to anequalizer shaft 152 rotatably mounted in bearings 154 and 156 secured tothe transverse ends of the frame 18. Secured to the shaft 152 adjacentbearing 156 is a sprocket about which is entrained an endless chain 158.The endless chain 158 is also entrained about its sprocket secured tothe drum 130.

It should thus be apparent that upon release of clutch 131, which isaccomplished by actuation of a solenoid 159 to withdraw a plunger 161from abutting contact with the clutch, motor 136 will rotate the arms120 and 122 in unison to swing sweeper arm 121 through an arcuate path.The motor 136 will rotate clutch 131 from friction sleeve 135. This willcause gear 146 to rotate, which in turn will rotate gears 150 and 148.The gear 150 will cause the drum 128 to rotate, which in turn impartsrotation to the arm 120. The gear 148 causes the shaft 152 to rotatewhich through the endless chain 158 will cause the drum 130 to rotate inthe bearing 134. In rotating the drum 130, the arm 122 will rotate insynchronization with the arm 120 insuring that no torque is placed onsweeper arm 121.

A pair of hooked fingers 125 and 127 are slidably mounted forreciprocation along the length of the sweeper arm 121. These fingers arenormally biased towards each other by coil springs 129 and 133 wound onthe sweeper arm 121. However, as the fingers swing about, they contact apair of cam tracks 160 and 162. These tracks allow the fingers 125 and127 to slide towards each other as arm 121 sweeps to a position beneaththe hopper 34. Conversely, the tracks cause the fingers 125 and 127 toslide away from each other against the bias of springs 129 and 131 whenarm 121 sweeps by the web 12. Therefore, as the sweeper arm passeshopper 34, an empty core 24 will be grasped by the fingers and carriedto the web 12 where it will be dropped by the separation of fingers 125and 127.

As the arms and 122 and sweeper arm 121 appoach the wound log 14, thesweeper arm contacts the log and pushes it to the finishing station 28wherein it is positioned upon the support 30. Simultaneous with thispushing movement imparted to the log 14, the fingers and 127 are spreadapart to drop the empty core 24.

It should be understood that as the log 14 is being moved to thefinishing station 28, a portion of the wound web upon the core 24 isunwound a length equal to the distance between the center line bisectingthe drums 78 and 80 and a center line through the support 30. The newempty core 24 is dropped onto the portion of the web which has just beenunwound and which is positioned intermediate the drums 78 and 80.

As will be explained hereinafter, the instant the new core is dropped,pressure roll 92 comes down to confine the core as it is wound.

By varying the distance between the cam tracks and 162, the core lengthand hence the length of the wound web may be varied. That is, sixty toninety inch logs may be wound upon the machine by varying thepermissible distance between fingers 125 and 127.

Severing and finishing operation Supported upon the frame 18 between thefinishing station 28 and the winding station 22 is an air nozzle 164 andan elongated tank of water or equivalent liquid 166. These elements arepositioned immediately underneath the unwound portion of the log 14 whenit is moved to the finishing station 28.

As shown in FIGURE 1, the nozzle 164, which extends across the fullwidth of the machine, has an end oriented towards the winding station22. A source of compressed air is led to the nozzle 164 through suitableflexible hosing such as 168.

Supported within the tank 166 is an elongated piece of felt 170 or itsequivalent which is used to sever the web 12. Also within the tank are apair of oscillating arms 172 connected to a support 174 holding aplurality of felt fingers 176 or the equivalent, spaced longitudinallyin the holder 174.

A breaker bar 178 is pivotably mounted for rocking movement upon theframe. The breaker bar, as shown in FIGURE 1, is integrally connected tothe support 30 at the finishing station 28. A cam 180 rotatable insynchronization with the movement of the arms 120, 121 and 122 is inintimate contact with a cam follower 182 supported at the terminal endof the breaker bar 178. When the log 14 is unwound and placed upon thesupport 30, the felt 170 being saturated with water from the tank 166contacts the web 12 and moistens it to thereby weaken the web. The earn180 will impart movement to the cam follower 182 to rock the breaker bar178 in the direction of the double-headed arrow indicated in FIG- URE l.The rocking of the web 12 will cause it to tear or sever along themoistened portion thereof.

A blast of air which is already emanating from the nozzle 164 causes onepart of the severed portion of the web 12 to wrap around the empty corepositioned on the web 12.

The arms '172 will then be caused to oscillate and the felt fingerswhich are also saturated with water will contact the second part of thesevered portion of the web 12 intermediate its terminal end and the webmaterial which is wound upon the core 24. The fingers 176 will pressthis portion of the web onto the web material wound on the core 24causing it to adhere to the wound material and forming a tab 38 wherebyunwinding of the log 14 can be effected.

While winding of the web 12 commences about the empty core 24, thefinished log 14 can be reciprocated transversely of the machine by meansof a reciprocating pusher arm 184 to cause the finished log 14 to bepositioned upon a conveyor leading to a saw for slicing the log into therequisite number of finished rolls.

Operation The sequence of operation of the various components of themachine is illustrated in particular in FIGURE 8.

Two switches (not shown), located on the counter 76 will cause the motor40 to initially begin to slow down as the requisite number of counts arereceived. This is illustrated by the letter a on the diagram in FIGURE8. When the precise number of sheets have been counted as wound upon thelog 14, the machine stops hard, this being illustrated by the letter bon the diagram.

With the machine stopped by the deenergization of the motor 40, thetorque motor 106 is energized by placing in its circuit a resistanceelement sufficient to allow it to overcome the torque of the weight ofthe roll upon the shaft 108 to raise the pressure contact roll 92 to thetop of the guides 102 and 104. This occurs through the medium of thepinions 114 and 116 on the shaft 108 and the meshing rack teeth on thechannels 100 and 102. At the top of the guides, the pressure contactroll energizes a limit switch 190 which deenergizes the torque motor.This is illustrated by the letter c in FIGURE 7. At this point amechanical brake (not shown) is activated to prevent burnout of thetorque motor and to hold the pressure roll 92 in its up position.

With the pressure contact roll in its up position, the switch 190 isalso energized to actuate solenoid 159 to withdraw plunger 161. Thecontinuously energized motor 136 is allowed to turn the singlerevolution clutch to cause fingers 125 and 127 to rotate and drop thecore at the point on the diagram illustrated by d.

Immediately after the new core 24 has been dropped, a limit switch 198is activated by a cam 200 carried on shaft 152 to release the mechanicalbrake holding the pressure contact roll in its up position. The rollthen descends by gravity to seat upon the newly positioned core as it iswound.

During the excursion of the sweep arm from the point to point e, thefinished log is being swept onto the finishing station 28. Thisoperation is completed at e, as is the dropping of the core.

Immediately after point e is reached, the web is broken by rocking thebreaker bar 178 to sever the moistened portion of the web. A cam 208 onshaft 152 can be used to activate a limit switch 206, which in turn canbe connected to apparatus well known in the art, to rotate cam 180. Thisis illustrated during the time interval e to f on the diagram.

The air blast through the nozzle 164 has been turned on just prior todropping of the core upon the web. Immediately after the new core isdropped, the severed portion of the web is blown about the empty corepositioned on the web. The tab 38 is formed on the wound log during thetime interval g to h by oscillation of the arms 172 wherein the feltfingers press the unwound portion of the web to the wound log to finishthe operation. From h to i, the finished log is moved by thereciprocating arm 184 from the finishing station onto a conveyor. Thereciprocation of the arm 184 is controlled by a limit switch 194energized by a cam 196 secured to shaft 152 whose movement issynchronized with the movement of the arms 120, 121 and 122.

When pressure roll 92 leaves the limit swich 190, the solenoid 159 isdeactivated and the plunger 161 is extended whereby the singlerevolution clutch mechanism is conditioned to be reset for its nextcycle.

When the pressure contact roll drops onto the core 24, the torque motor106 returns to its former mode. This former mode is the conditionwherein the torque on shaft 108 induced by the motor 106 is equal to thetorque on shaft 108 induced by the weight of the roll 92. This conditionallows the web to be wound softly upon the new core 24.

At point e, a limit switch 202, activated by cam 204 on shaft 152 startsthe main motor 40. This will enable the web to be wound upon the core asillustrated on the diagram in FIGURE 8.

The sweep arm 121 moves to a position designated by 1', after the newcore has been dropped. designates the position where the one revolutionclutch 131 is stopped by the plunger 161. During this time interval,another core has been picked up from the hopper 34. The cores 24 may bekept within the hopper 34 by means of a spring biased door such as 192which is opened by the movement of the core out of the hopper as thesweep arm goes by.

The present invention may be embodied in other specific forms withoutdeparting from the spirit or essential attributes thereof and,accordingly, reference should be made to the appended claims, ratherthan to the foregoing specification as indicating the scope of theinvention.

We claim:

1. In an automatic winding machine having a frame adapted to support atleast one web of material, power means for driving a web along theframe, a winding station on the frame adapted to rotatably support atleast one empty core, means for applying one end of a web to an emptycore whereby a web can be wound thereabout, pressure contact meansincluding a roll mounted adjacent said winding station for holding acore on the winding station as the web is wound, said roll beingreciprocal to be brought into and out of seated engagement on a web asit is wound and to compensate for increasing the web diameter as a webis wound, a finishing station adjacent said frame, and pickup anddelivery means supported adjacent the winding station :forsimultaneously positioning another empty core in the winding stationwhile delivering a wound core from the winding station to said finishingstation, said last-named means including a pair of spaced arms rotatablethrough a predetermined path, a sweeper arm intermediate said spacedarms, and spaced fingers reciprocable along said sweeper arm in adirection perpendicular to the path of movement of said arms, themovement of said arms and roll being synronized so that the roll istaken out of seated engagement with a wound core when the arms deliversaid core to said finishing station.

2. In an automatic winding machine having a frame adapted to support atleast one web of material, power means for driving a web along theframe, a winding station on the frame adapted to rotatably support atleast one empty core, means for applying one end of a web to an emptycore whereby a web can be wound thereabout, a finishing station adjacentsaid frame, and pickup and delivery means supported adjacent the windingstation for simultaneously positioning another empty core in the windingstation while delivering awound core from the winding station to thefinishing station, said last-named means including a pair of spaced armsrotatable through a predetermined path, a sweeper arm intermediate saidspaced arms, and spaced fingers reciprocable along said sweeper arm in adirection perpendicular to the path of movement of said arms.

3. In an automatic winding machine having a frame adapted to support atleast one web of material, power means for driving a web along theframe, a winding station on the frame adapted to rotatably support atleast one empty core, means for applying one end of the web to an emptycore whereby a web can be wound thereabout, pressure contact meanssupported juxtaposed to said winding station for holding a core on awinding station as the web is wound, said pressure contact means beingyieldably mounted to compensate for increasing web diameter as a web iswound, means operatively connected to said pressure contact means forcontrolling the density of the web being wound upon the core, afinishing station adjacent said frame, pick up and delivery meanssupported adjacent a winding station for substantially simultaneouslypositioning another empty core at the winding station while delivering awound core to said finish ing station, said delivery means includingmeans for wetting a web to weaken it, and mechanical means for rocking aweb to induce a tear thereon at the weakened portion, and said deliverymeans further including oscillating means for wetting a web portion andadhering it to a portion of the web which has been wound on the core.

4. An automatic winding machine in accordance with claim 3 wherein saidpressure contact means substantially simultaneously engages an emptycore upon the positioning of the core at the winding station.

5. In an automatic winding machine having a frame adapted to support atleast one web of material, power means for driving a web along theframe, a winding station on the frame adapted to rotatably support atleast one empty core, a hopper fixedly attached to said frame, saidhopper adapted to have a plurality of empty cores therein, means forapplying one end of a web to said empty core in said winding stationwhereby a web can be wound thereabout, pressure contact means supportedjuxtaposed to said winding station for holding a core on the windingstation as the web is wound, said pressure contact means being yieldablymounted to compensate for increasing web diameter as a web is wound,means operatively connected to said pressure contact means forcontrolling the density of the web being wound upon said core, andautomatic means for removing a fully wound core from said windingstation and automatically withdrawing a new core from said hopper andpositioning said new core on said winding statio 6. An automatic windingmachine in accordance with claim 5 including a finishing stationadjacent said frame, said automatic means for removing a fully woundcore being adapted to deposit said fully wound core on said finishingstation, and said finishing station adapted to be rocked to induce atear in said web.

7. An automatic winding machine in accordance with claim 6 wherein saidpressure contact means are adapted to contact said new coresubstantially simultaneously with the position of the new core on saidwinding station.

8. In an automatic winding machine having a frame adapted to support atleast one web of material, power means for driving the web along theframe, a hopper attached to said frame having a plurality of corestherein, a winding station upon the frame adapted to rotatably supportat least one empty core, means for applying one end of a web to an emptycore supported on said winding station whereby a web may be woundthereabout, pressure contact means supported juxtaposed to said windingstation for holding a core on said winding station as a web is wound, afinishing station adjacent said frame, pickup and delivery meanssupported adjacent the winding station for substantially simultaneouslypositioning one of said plurality of cores in said hopper onto saidwinding station while delivering a wound core to said finishing station,and said pressure contact means contacting one of said plurality of saidcores substantially simultaneously with the positioning of said one ofsaid plurality of cores on said winding station.

9. In an automatic winding machine in accordance with claim 8 includingmeans for rocking said finishing station to induce a tear in said web,said means for rocking said finishing station cooperating with a meansfor wetting the web to weaken it to thereby sever the web, andmechanical means for fixing a portion of the web intermediate itssevered end and an end applied to the wound core to a portion of the webwhich 'has been wound on the core.

10. The method of continuously forming rolls of material comprising thesteps of: positioning a plurality of cores in a hopper wherein saidhopper is in close spaced relationship to a web of material, positioningone core on the web of material, securing one end of the web to thecore, winding the web onto the core into a roll, automatically movingthe wound roll to a support member, automatically carrying a second corefrom the hopper and positioning the second core on the web substantiallysimultaneously with the automatic moving of the wound roll to thesupport member, rocking the support member to induce a tear in the webmaterial, securing one end of the torn web material to the wound roll ofweb material and substantially simultaneously therewith securing theother end of the torn web material to the second core.

'11. A method in accordance with claim 10 wherein the step of securingone end of the torn web material to the wound roll of web material iseffected by moving a plurality of moistened spaced fingers into contactwith said intermediate web portion and wound roll.

'12. A method in accordance with claim 11 wherein the step of securingthe other end of the torn web material to the newly positioned core isachieved by blowing the other end of the torn web onto the newlypositioned core by a blast of air.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,588 1/1951Husson 24256 2,989,262 6/ 1961 Hornbostel 242-56 3,030,042 4/4962 DeGelleke 242-56 3,104,072 9/1963 Doven et a]. 24266 3,148,843 9/1964Turner 24256 FRANK I. COHEN, Primary Examiner.

LEONARD D. CHRISTIAN, Examiner.

1. IN AN AUTOMATIC WINDING MACHINE HAVING A FRAME ADAPTED TO SUPPORT ATLEAST ONE WEB OF MATERIAL, POWER MEANS FOR DRIVING A WEB ALONG THEFRAME, A WINDING STATION ON THE FRAME ADAPTED TO ROTATABLY SUPPORT ATLEAST ONE EMPTY CORE, MEANS FOR APPLYING ONE END OF A WEB TO AN EMPTYCORE WHEREBY A WEB CAN BE WOUND THEREABOUT, PRESSURE CONTACT MEANSINCLUDING A ROLL MOUNTED ADJACENT SAID WINDING STATION FOR HOLDING ACORE ON THE WINDING STATION AS THE WEB IS WOUND, SAID ROLL BEINGRECIPROCAL TO BE BROUGHT INTO AND OUT OF SEATED ENGAGEMENT ON A WEB ASIT IS WOUND AND TO COMPENSATE FOR INCREASING THE WEB DIAMETER AS A WEBIS WOUND, A FINISHING STATION ADJACENT SAID FRAME, AND PICKUP ANDDELIVERY MEANS SUPPORTED AD-